Flangeway-guard for highway-crossings.



w. s. NEWHALL;

PLANGEWAY GUARD FOR HIGHWAY GROSSINGS. APPLICATION FILED APR. 20, 1914.

1,130,996, Patented Mar. 9, 1915" 123 755555 imam/0r f z] 11 3 g a w J W4 gm THE NORRIS PETERS CO4. PHOTO-LITHQ. WASHINGTON. D. L.

WALTER S. NEWHALL,

0E CLEVELAND, onro.

FLANGEWAY-GUARD FOR HIGHWAY-GROSSINGS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Mar. 9, 1915.

. Application filed April 20, 1914. Seria1.No.833,056.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, WALTER S. NEWHALL, a citizen of the United States, residing at Cleveland, in the county of Cuyahoga and State of Ohio, have invented a certain new and useful Improvement in Flangeway- Guards for Highway-Crossings, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description, reference being had to the accompanying drawings.

This invention relates to foot guards on railways, the same being used to make a fiangeway at road crossings or station platforms, and the like. Thepurpose being for preventing the feet of pedestrians or animals crossing the track, from becoming caught in the space usually left between the rail and the planking which is provided to level the space between the tracks to approximately the height of the rail.

One object of the invention is to provlde a flangeway that will act as a foot guard that is economical in manufacture, strong and durable in use, and which will take the place of the usual grooved planking or section of rail in present use and avoid the objections to the present types of construction which are well known in the art.

Another object of this invention is to provide this guard in lengths adapted to be easily handled, having a suitable device at either end for connecting the several pieces when in position in the track.

More specific objects will become apparent in the following description in connection with the drawings, and the essential characteristics will be hereinafter set forth in the claims.

In the drawings Figure 1 is a plan view of a road crossing, showing several units of my foot guard in position in the track; Fig. 2 is a fragmentary side elevation, the right half being a section on the longitudinal center line; Fig. 3 is a perspective view of the locking device at the ends; Fig. 4 is a transverse section on the line 4-4 of Fig. 2; Fig. 5 is a transverse section of a modified form of my device.

Referring to the drawings, 1 represents the running rail supported on the ties 2.

3 is the planking usually provided at railroad crossings and station platforms and the under the head of the rail.

space between the edge of which and the running rail, the foot guard 4 is adapted to fill. The planks 3 are generally supported on stringers 8 as shown in Figs. 4 and 5.

The foot guard consists of a horizontal plate 5, being. formed with a groove or depression to accommodate the flanges of the car Wheels, having upwardly extending side portions, one of which terminates in an outwardly extending shoulder 6 abutting the under side of the .rail head, the other terminating in a horizontal flange portion 7. The top of this flange is adapted to aline with the top of the planking. At intervals along the length of the plate 5, I provide webs 10, the same being preferably cast integral with the plate and extending transversely of the same. The edge of these webs nearest the rail and beneath the shoulder 6 is provided with feet 11 adapted to engage and be supported by the flange of the rail and have an extending portion 12 adapted to abut the web of the rail and prevent the shoulder 6 from being crowded in The other edge 14: of the web 10, abuts the plank 3, thereby preventing lateral displacement of the foot guard when the plank'has been fastened in place. The bottom of this edge is extended to form a lug 15, adapted to engage the under side of the plank 3. 'In the form shown in Fig. 4:, the flange 7 projectsbeyond the edge 14: of the web 10 as at 16, and fits into a complementary cut-away portion in the plank 3, thereby providing an additional support for the foot guard. It is desirable to use this form in crossings over which there would be heavy trafiic, but the guard is entirely operative without the additional support at 16. This modified form is shown in Fig. 5 and it will be seen that the downward component of the weight resolves itself into a thrust on the edge 14:.

On the under side of the horizontal plate 5, at one end, I have provided a tongue 20 projecting downwardly, then outwardly and terminating in an upwardly extending rib 22 adapted to engage a groove 25 on the adj acent unit and thereby prevent longitudinal displacement of the foot guard when in position. As shown, the groove 25 is formed between projecting ribs 26. Each foot guard is provided at one end with the tongue or hook 20, and at the other end with the groove 25, before mentioned, which allows these units to be used interchangeably, and allows several units of the same pattern to be connected into an internal tlangeway of any length. desired. However, under certain conditions it mightbe advisable to provide a unit with hooks or tongues at each end and the adjacent unit with corresponding grooves or ribs. Because of the liability of water to accumulate in the trough or depressed portion of the plate 5, 1 haveprovided holes 28 at intervals along its surface. These foot guards are preferably cast in a single piece and owing to their light weight they may be conveniently and economically produced and are easily transported to the place in which they are to be installed. They are also convenient in application, as the ditferent units are simply locked together and placed in position abutting the rail, and are secured in place by fastening the plank which abuts them. It will be seen that I have provided a foot guard which gives the exact clearance necessary for the flange of a car wheel, and which is so constructed as to offer the minimum opportunity of persons or animals having their feet caught in the space. Moreover, the foot guards neat in appearance and are durable and strong.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim is:

1. The combination with a rail and a plank adjacent thereto and substantially parallel therewith, of a foot guard comprising a. longitudinal member having a trough-shaped upper surface and having a web portion adapted to be supported by the base of the rail at one side and a projection abutting the web of the rail, said guard bearing against the edge of the plank whereby said guard is supported at the other side.

2. The combination with rails and the filler between the rails at a crossing of a trackway, of a foot guard comprising a longitudinal member adapted to engage the under side of the head of the rail and having transverse webs projecting downwardly and resting at one side on the base of the rail and abutting at the other side the edge of the filler between the rails, and having a. projection extending under the plank.

3. The combination, with a rail and the usual filler between the rails of a crossing, of a foot guard comprising a longitudinal member having a portion adapted to fit under the head of the rail and having transverse webs abutting the web and the base of the rail at one side and resting against the edge of the filler between the rails at the other side, whereby the foot guard is supported. by the rail and by the filler.

4:. A foot guard comprising a trough-I shaped longitudinal member adapted to abut the under side of the head of the rail atone side and formed at the other side withmea-ns to evtend beneath an adjacent plank.

5. A foot guard comprising a longitudinal trough-shaped member providing a clearance for the flanges-of the wheels of a.

vehicle on a trackway, said member carrying.

on its under side near the end means. whereby it may. be interlocked with. an alined member.

6. The combination, with a rail and. a plank slightly spaced therefrom and parallel therewith, of a foot guard comprising a plue rality of longitudinal .units adapted to .fit between the rail and the plank, and means integral with the end of each unitadapted tocooperate with. means on the end of the adjacent unit wherebythey are secured together when in position.

7. A. foot guard comprising a plurality of I longitudinal units adapted to fit between a rail and an adjacent plank, and an overhanging tongue on the end of one unit adapted to engage a corresponding groove on the end of an adjacent unit, whereby the.

units are secured together when in position.

8. A foot guard adapted to fit between a 1 rail. being turnedv horizontally even Withthe.

top of the plank.

9. A foot guard comprising a troughshaped longitudinal member adapted to fit;

under the head of the rail at one side. and extending upwardly and horizontally even with the top of an adjacent plank atv the other side, said horizontal extending portion being adaptedto fit into a cutaway portion on the plank and having transverse webs on the edge of the plank at the other side.

10. A foot guard comprising: a troughshaped longitudinal member adapted: to fit under the head of a rail on one side, extending upwardly on the other side evenwith. the top of an adjacent plank and having trans;

verse webs extending downwardly having. a

portion. resting on the base of the rail and a the under side adapted to abut the webv and the flange of the rail at one side and to abut portion abutting the edge of the plank,;and

having a projection. extending under the edge of the plank.

11. The combination, with a rail and ad: jacent plankingspaced therefronnof a.plu-

ralityof foot guards adapted to alilne and.

occupy such space, said footguardsfbeing provided with adjacent interlocking. devices and each footguard comprising a trough- In testimony whereof, I hereunto afi'lx my shaped top plate and a transverse web prosignature in the presence of two witnesses. jecting downwardly from the top plate and WALTER S. NEWHALL. formed to abut the web and under side of Witnesses:

the head of the rail, and provided with ALBERT H. BATES,

means'to project beneath such planking. ARCHER W. RICHARDS.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner 0! Patents,

Washington, D. 0. 

